Israeli War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz has threatened that his party will leave the government if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu doesn’t approve a long-term plan for Gaza.
In a speech on Saturday, Gantz made a list of demands that he wants Netanyahu to approve, including the establishment of a US-European-Arab-Palestinian administration to manage civilian affairs in the Strip alongside Israeli security control.
Gantz said if his conditions aren’t met by June 8, his National Unity party will leave the government. If they quit, Netanyahu’s coalition will still have a majority of seats in the Knesset (64 out of 120), so it wouldn’t force elections.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu, I look you in the eye tonight and tell you: The choice is in your hands. The Netanyahu of a decade ago would have done the right thing. Are you willing to do the right and patriotic thing today?” Gantz said in his speech.
“The people of Israel are watching you. You must choose between Zionism and cynicism, between unity and factionalism, between responsibility and lawlessness – and between victory and disaster,” he added.
According to The Times of Israel, Gantz’s full list of demands includes:
- “Bring the hostages home.”
- “Topple Hamas rule, demilitarize the Gaza Strip and gain Israeli security control [over Gaza].”
- Alongside that Israeli security control, “create an international civilian governance mechanism for Gaza, including American, European, Arab and Palestinian elements — which will also serve as a basis for a future alternative that is not Hamas and is not [Palestinian Authority President] Abbas.”
- “Return residents of the north [who were evacuated due to Hezbollah attacks] to their homes by September 1, and rehabilitate the western Negev [adjacent to Gaza, targeted by Hamas on October 7].”
- “Advance normalization with Saudi Arabia as part of a comprehensive process to create an alliance with the free world and the West against Iran and its allies.”
- “Adopt a framework for [military/national] service under which all Israelis will serve the state and contribute to the national effort.”
Realistically, Netanyahu couldn’t agree to Gantz’s demands since they would go against the vision of the far-right and ultra-Orthodox members of his coalition, who could force elections if they quit. Senior members of the government, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, have been clear that they want to re-establish Jewish settlements in Gaza and expel Palestinians.
In response to Gantz’s demands, Netanyahu’s office rejected the conditions. “The conditions set by Benny Gantz are laundered words whose meaning is clear: the end of the war and a defeat for Israel, the abandonment of most of the hostages, leaving Hamas-rule intact and the establishment of a Palestinian state. Our soldiers did not fall in vain and certainly not for the sake of replacing Hamastan with Fatahstan,” the office said.
Gantz’s office hit back and said Netanyahu should have invaded Rafah much earlier. “Had the Prime Minister listened to Gantz, we would have entered Rafah months ago and finished the mission,” the office said.
The ultimatum came after Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant also publicly challenged Netanyahu and said he needed to come up with a long-term plan for Gaza. But Gallant is a member of Netanyahu’s Likud party and has not shown interest in breaking up the government.
Somehow I think the super big concentration camp model for Gaza ain’t gonna‘ fly. Instead, The Likud would be wise to accept the generous offer of negotiations based on the pre-1967 boundries. Israeli deserve a lasting and secure peace. The Likud has only brought neither.
The IDF has thrown 2 additional brigades into the Gaza meatgrinder for a total of 9 IDF brigades in the newest offensive. These units are easy targets for Al-Qassem. It’s a veritable Turkey shoot.
Tragic
Israel has suffered several hundred killed in combat,as opposed to apx 8,000 Hamas casualties.War is bad,not quite a Turkey shoot. both sides have suffered greatly. No Israeli government or citizen will suffer loss of Jerusalem.
That’s one way of ignoring the thousands upon thousands of dead women and children and the full blown man-made (by Israel) famine that is spreading throughout the strip. Now tell us again about how “both sides have suffered greatly” as if there is some kind of equivalence to that suffering.
Jerusalem isn’t Israel’s to “lose.”
Possession is nine points in the law. Squatters rights.Who in your opinion,does Jerusalem belong to,besides its current inhabitants? The Crusaders? The descendants of Saladin? Those born there?Those born elsewhere who have lived 70 years there?
…. Possession is nine points in the law. Squatters rights……
Are you suggesting if the Arabs liberated the lands covered in UNR181 – you‘d be cool with that ?
Some illuminating quotes from an article in the pro-genocide Guardian from last week:
“….. The parents of more than 900 Israeli soldiers deployed in Gaza have signed a letter urging the military to call off its ongoing offensive in Rafah, calling it a “deadly trap” for their children……
….. “Our sons are physically and mentally exhausted,” adds the letter, addressed to the defence minister, Yoav Gallant, and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) chief of staff, Lt Gen Herzi Halevi. “And now, you intend to send them into this perilous situation? … This appears to be nothing short of recklessness.”….
…. “Rafah is a death trap,” said Anat, the mother of an Israeli special forces soldier deployed in Gaza. “Hamas had a lot of time to prepare the place for the killing of our soldiers. We are very concerned and worried.”…..
……“Our apprehensions have materialised as we witness the military withdrawing promptly from an area, only for Hamas to swiftly regain control over it,” Anat said……
….. Idit, the mother of an Israeli commander, said: “My son sent me a message on WhatsApp a few minutes ago. They are on the move to Rafah, he told me. And I’m terrified……”
The war is unwinable, new terrorists will grow up.-but many terrorist rapo artists will be punished. The good old days of the pogrom unavenged are over.
You trally think the Israeli people will rise up and avenge the 400+ Israelis massacred by the IDF on 7.Oct ?
I doubt it.
Do the lunarians and the purple martians have disco parties together?
They both are as crazy as rabid dogs and neither one has the best interests of Israel at heart. It is just more of the same BS that has been spewing since Oct 7th.This can only end one way and that is with the establishment of a Palestinian state in Gaza and the West Bank with the right of return and Israel pulling back from their conquests.
The right of return means admitting millions of hostile people who want the whole thing for themselves. Making all West Bank settlers leave also poses a moral dilemma.In any event,Hamas has refused negotiations. Giving up Jerusalem is also not acceptable.
Hamas hasn’t refused negotiations.
Indeed – the Arabs have generously offered to negotiate a lasting and secure peace based on pre-1967 lines.
A nd dont forget if possible The Right To Return for the millions which is an inalienable right to those who locked up and left during the wars of 48 and 67. Which is weirdly warped ironic in so many layers. Comes down to right for thee but not for me.
Lets all come back between the river and the sea and actually have a vote for one and all with absolute fairness,equality and make a real state for one and all not APARTHEID
Which Arabs are you speaking of, and when?
Did you ever hear of Oslo? Hamas refused to come.Or they make ludicrous proposals that will go nowhere.
Hundreds of times. By you alone. And then I posted Bibi saying that he destroyed Oslo. But I won’t repeat myself.
Hamas made it known that they want a permanent truce in this ongoing “war”, so I know they are willing to negotiate.
They broke a truce on Oct 7.
Hamas has refused negotiations.
This is what I responded to. Either refute it or just shut the fuck up already.
https://youtu.be/hv4ECsikWS0?si=_oyfUfKV671kWM6s
Finally!!!!
Nobody Is Above the Law’: ICC Prosecutor Seeks Arrest Warrants for Israel, Hamas Leaders
https://www.commondreams.org/news/icc-arrest-warrants-israel-hamas?utm_source=Common+Dreams&utm_campaign=eef2057bfc-News+Alert%3A+War+Crimes+Netanyahu&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-4da0978648-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D
I stopped reading after Israeli security control. Forget hamas why would the kapo of pa agree to that
This is empty showboating by Gantz, as Haaretz says.
Israel is a State of War Criminals and listening to this rabid dog attack another rabid dog, is very encouraging. I hope they all go to JAIL.
A military coup is in order…!
Realistically, Netanyahu couldn’t agree to Gantz’s demands since they would go against the vision of the far-right and ultra-Orthodox members of his coalition, who could force elections if they quit. Senior members of the government, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, have been clear that they want to re-establish Jewish settlements in Gaza and expel Palestinians.
And there you have it. Satan himself had to kiss some fellow devil’s asses to remain in power. No turning back now.
Just trying to flee a sinking administration. All actors in the region want to turn the page.